Document:LNC Minutes 11-12 August 1990: Difference between revisions

Givot reported on the printing of the Program, and there was a discussion of whether we should go ahead with printing the individual planks as separate brochures. He said he would make them up with artwork and blank panels for candidates to use.

There was a  discussion of distributing the Program and membership information to campaign workers and getting the names of campaign prospects. Dasbach said some candidates may fear this would scare people away. Dunbar said the office can provide rapid followup if candidates provide names,  and that he would send the normal packet which does not contain the Program.  In response to  a  comment  from Bottemiller  that  some  state  activists  feel  that  national  "runs prospects dry" when  they use the  800 number before the state gets a chance to do anything, Dunbar said that prospects just get an info packet and that no other solicitation is done by national until after the name is provided to the state party.

Givot reported that work is being done on preparing an abortion plank and a gun plank, which he hopes to have available for the  December meeting, and that he has a new "Environment" plank to be approved now. He moved to discuss that immediately and add a five-minute item to the end of the agenda for final approval; there was no objection.

Neale suggested that the plank point out that government is the biggest polluter and exempt from controls that apply to the private sector, and that in the present system fines are not correlated with the actual cost of damages.

Dehn said the  Program was not serving its purpose because we don't update it quickly enough to provide candidates with something that mentions issues that are of current interest during their campaigns, citing gun rights as a currently hot topic that isn't included. Dasbach suggested that it should be  updated in the April of each election year.

Allard read the thank you note to be sent to Nolan [Attachment EE].

Nathan provided a written report [Attachment  Z]. She described a general mailing to the over 3000 people on her list,  which she said cost over $1000.  She said that it is important to do such a mailing occasionally to let everyone know we are active and to clean the list, and that she wants to do at least one more mailing before the election.

She mentioned various past and potential media appearances that she has been involved in arranging, said she has been putting a lot of her time into organizing the list,  clippings, and information about "luminaries", and said she wants suggestions on how to quantify her results.  She said she looked into a broadcast monitoring service but it is very  expensive and said she would be asking the state parties to help gather clippings.

In response to  a comment from  Nathan about the office  sometimes not being able to  provide accurate state contact information that she can give to the media, Gingell said that the office gets several copies of the updates so  should have no  problem with that but so does everyone else so we shouldn't even need to be bothering the office about it.

In reply to a question from  Gingell, Johnson said that there is no preapproval of Nathan's travel and expenses,  that she does what she needs to do and provides a  monthly report. Nathan said she had not made any trips other than this one during the quarter,  and that she would not be submitting any additional expenses other than ones associated with this trip,  and that she does discuss any major expenses with Johnson.  Gingell suggested that  Nathan needs to keep Walter better informed of what press releases she is sending out, and that expenses should be approved by Johnson before being paid.

In reply to  questions from Walter  about involving the state parties, Nathan said she has contacts in 15 states, that she is planning to put tips in the  APC newsletter because  there isn't room in LP News, that she is interested  in working with  Bob Waldrop on helping  the states get more organized,  that she has  a "Tips  for  VIPs"  document  that people have found  useful, and that  there is  more  information  that could be a manual but it needs to be reworked.  Gingell suggested that Nathan work more  closely with Bottemiller  and turn  the  information

Dasbach said that  Nathan's mailings and phone work was very valuable, but questioned the cost-effectiveness of her trips.  Nathan and Ernsberger had a  discussion about how many trips she had put in expenses for and why she felt it necessary to go to certain LNC meetings.  Allard said that Nathan's work was helpful in  Washington state both in dealing with the  Jeniece LaCross situation and with campaigns.  Bottemiller said that the media contacts that Nathan has provided have been useful when she visits states.